[woodburning]

We need to remove our woodburning fireplace so that they can install a gas fireplace. How do we do it?

[Nwptsailor]

You would need to post a digital picture(s) , in order to answer properly

[jujubrose]

Ok this will be fun How many kids do you have. Is it on the outside of your house or in the middle? Do you have a 2 story house or single 2 fireplaces or one? Just start at the top with a five pound sledge if on the outside until you get to the roof line. You may be surprised to find out it is not even attached to the house.

If it is a older home it is just sitting on the top of the slab if on the outside it is sitting on the dirt. It will have firebrick but other than that it is simple straight forward demo their will be things you can't see and thing you will not expect but do not worry. Just Do it and have fun.

Demo girl julie

[letmetellu]

Surely you are not going to remove a brick chimney. If you are just going to add a gas burning fireplace and you have a brick chimney all you have to do is remove enough of the lower part of the fireplace to put in the gas burning insert and use the old chimney to run your new metal vent pipe through.

[jujubrose]

Hey if it were up to me I would leave it I have a wood burning and love it but if you are going to add a ventless gas then get ride of the whole thing. Most home buyers now aday see a chimney as a place for a leak. And see dollars signs for repairs.

[nmwirez]

First up, I would suggest looking into installing a liner if possible. This would be a challenge if you have a custom hearth that will not allow retrofitting in an insert. Installing the gas log works well with a slide-in insert designed for gas.

[nmwirez]

On the second option, removing an old fire place is a top to bottom brick layer by layer removal. Usually the old mortar crumbles making demolition easy by chizeling out the chinks with a flatbar. Carting the bricks off is probably the hardest task of all. If this is an interior location, be ready to patch the roof as you get down to the attic level. Have sheathing and 30lb. Felt paper ready for covering prior to adding new shingles or three tab.
An outside removal operation should go a lot easier. There usually is top chimney straps and flashing to remove at the roofline level as you get further down course by course. Bricks are getting a little more spendy so try and save the bricks if possible, for future walkways or garden trim.
I gather this may be an exterior configuration as you mentioned adding a gas fireplace installation. If so, you might consider the original suggestion of putting in an insert upgrade that is configured for a gas log. If not, try and save the original base for rebuilding a scratch-built unit or even a zero-clearance installation. nmwirez